10 Things To Avoid So Your Semester Doesn’t Totally Suck

It’s a new year, which is awesome. We’re all about resolutions and trying new things in 2015. But it’s also a new semester, which means y’all are back in school. I know the beginning of the semester can be a bit hectic. You could be adjusting to new teachers, new classes, and new friends. It’s easy for things to quickly become a mess, but we don’t want that to happen!

This year, I challenge you to pick up some good habits right away so your semester doesn’t completely suck. It’s really not hard. You just have to make a point to do certain things and avoid others. If you want to have a great semester, avoid these 10 things:

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Procrastination

Procrastination is your worst nightmare, and it only gets worse the longer you do it. If you don't procrastinate at the beginning of the semester and get into the habit of doing things right away, you'll be much better off. Do your homework in your free time, read ahead a little, and just don't put assignments off until the last minute.

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Not Determining Your Priorities

Take a look at your class schedule and identify which ones are going to be the hardest. All of your classes are important, but you need to spend more time on the classes that you find yourself struggling with.

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Not Having A Routine

One way to really make your semester easier is to get into a routine right off the bat. Routines might sound boring, but there's a reason our human brains love structure: it helps us. We enjoy structure and habit so get into the habit of waking up at the same time every day. Have a set period of time after school when you do your homework. Make a point to do something like watch a show or spend time on a hobby at the same time every day. Go to bed around the same time every night. Getting into a routine early will make it much easier to keep.

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Not Talking To Your Teachers

This is especially important in college when you have new professors every semester, but it's still important in high school. Make a point to talk to your teachers at the beginning of the semester, especially if you have any specific concerns. Maybe you want to spend some time with them after class for extra help. Maybe you want to know what the best way to study for that specific class is. Basically, creating a dialogue with your teachers is a great way to make the class easier.

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Not Asking For Help

Don't let this be a semester where you only ask for help when you're desperate. Start the semester off by knowing exactly what you need help in and get a preemptive start. Get a tutor before you're failing. Go to extra help even if you understand everything except one small thing. Get into a study group before you really have anything to study for.

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Being Disorganized

I know one of the most common resolutions is to get more organized, but it's something that's really important, especially in school. Get separate notebooks and folders for your classes. Create individual folders on your computer for every class so all of your documents are in their own spot.

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Not Writing Anything Down

I know we live in a world where everything is on the computer, but writing things down by hand actually helps you remember them. Handwrite your notes. Physically write the assignments you need to do down in a planner so you don't forget them.

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Not Taking Advantage Of Apps And Resources

There's an app for everything, and there are a bunch of school apps that can help you keep organized, calculate your grades, and quiz you on classes.

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Not Being Involved

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to get involved in school activities. There are so many things you can do from playing sports to joining a club to working on the school newspaper. Just get involved with something. Being involved in a school activity helps make school feel less like a chore. It also helps you meet people and figure out things you actually like doing. I joined the yearbook staff my sophomore year, which helped me realize I really liked design and that led to me being a freelance graphic designer for a while. You never know what will happen!

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Negative Distractions

If you've ever had a really crappy semester, think about what was going on. Were you friends with super negative people who made you feel badly about yourself or who didn't care about anything? Were you distracted by things that aren't actually important to you? Start the semester off right by removing those kinds of things from your life.

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Are you trying to make some new school habits this year? What advice do you have? Tell us in the comments below!